In Haiti, the violence exerted on children seems quite a normal thing. Children, as a category of the population, are the first to suffer the consequences of everyday-violence in society. Being dependent and fragile, kids bear the brunt of all kinds of frustrations at the level of the community as well as the family.

In recent years, several initiatives have been launched to sensitize public opinion on an issue of which the immediate consequences are not felt, but which has serious repercussions on those who will make up tomorrow’s society.
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THE SITUATION OF HAITI’S STREET CHILDREN 1:DIAGNOSIS OF A LARGE- SCALE PROBLEM

By: Nicole Siméon, Journalist

They are about 100 million throughout the world, among whom at least 40 million in Latin America. In Haiti, the phenomenon of street children forms a real social challenge. Seen initially in the second half of 1980s, the present magnitude of the issue brings up many questions. From the few street children noticed during the 1970s, their number has gone up considerably.

People who work for the reintegration of street children agree that the reasons that street children are nowadays so massively present, are complex.
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By: Roosevelt Jean-François, Journalist and member of the Centre for Communication on AIDS (CECOSIDA)

The provision of care, including access to medical care, is a serious challenge for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Haiti. The reasons for this are particularly related to the economic situation of the country, which suffers from acute unemployment and effects of the contraction of the global economy during the recent years, according to trends and figures published by the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics.

However, in addition to medicines and the provision of direct care, several experts think that the best assistance lies in the social reintegration of the infected person.
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The Right to Life for People Living with HIV/AIDS in HaitI

July 2002

by: Roosevelt Jean-François, Journalist and member of the Centre for Communication on AIDS (CECOSIDA)

This briefing has been produced with the collaboration and financial support of the Fogarty Center – National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the U.S.A. and the Centres GHESKIO of Haiti in the scope of the project “Building Capacity of Journalists in the Caribbean and Central America to Report on HIV/AIDS: a focus on Haiti.” The project is carried out by the Centre for Communication on AIDS (CECOSIDA) and the Panos Institute.

The provision of care, including access to medical care, is a serious challenge for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Haiti. The reasons for this are particularly related to the economic situation of the country, which suffers from acute unemployment and effects of the contraction of the global economy during the recent years, according to trends and figures published by the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics.
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Ronald Colbert and Carril Desrosiers 1

The Haitian society still has far to go in encouraging, in the media, the expression of children, the adults of tomorrow. The involvement of children in the media and the ideas that they can convey would play a vital role in the sustainable development process of Haiti.

This was found by a documentary study conducted by the Panos Institute( 2) during the first half of the year 2000, focusing on the participation of children in the media.

In their programming, many media devote a special place to children. However, most of the content inserted seems yenyen (3): without any emphasis on the child’s contribution as a human being in its own right, endowed with its own intelligence and personality, and in a quest for true social changes. Also daily news programmes do not take account of the opinions of children about the realities around them.

Haitian authorities have not yet demonstrated any official interest in the promotion of the Internet. The investments are still limited in this sector, which serves a minority with economic means – in a country whose yearly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) does not exceed US$457 per capita[2]

The globalization spreading around the world meets in Haiti a terrain characterized by archaic structures and inaccessibility of information. Public authorities are not very sensitive to the need of being open towards technology that could allow the more efficient delivery of their services to the people. The principal problem of connecting to the Internet relates to the infra-structural and organizational deficiencies of the telecommunications sector.

“If we do not make a jump to get into line, the gap between Haiti and the other countries will be even wider than it is already. It takes an eternity to obtain an authorization for accessing the Internet by satellite. One has the impression that pulling strings works better¼,” Reynold Pauyot said, Coordinator of the Haitian Telematics Network for Research and Development (REHRED).

Various people interviewed for the preparation of this briefing expressed the view that today, on the eve of the third millennium, we need a collective effort to understand the economic, social and cultural importance of the Internet to Haiti.
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Productions: Briefing on Haiti

by: Ives Marie Chanel & Ronald Colbert 1

This bulletin was produced with the collaboration and financial support of Kosmologic bv of the Netherlands. Kosmologic is a young and innovative company active in the ICT (information, communication and technology) business. In addition to its business goals, Kosmologic aims to support sustainable development in lesser developed countries, with emphasis on practical applications of information technology. The company provides services ranging from programming to project management and consultancy. Please visit: http://www.kosmologic.nl

Haitian authorities have not yet demonstrated any official interest in the promotion of the Internet. The investments are still limited in this sector, which serves a minority with economic means – in a country whose yearly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) does not exceed US$457 per capita (2).

The globalization spreading around the world meets in Haiti a terrain characterized by archaic structures and inaccessibility of information. Public authorities are not very sensitive to the need of being open towards technology that could allow the more efficient delivery of their services to the people. The principal problem of connecting to the Internet relates to the infra-structural and organizational deficiencies of the telecommunications sector.

“If we do not make a jump to get into line, the gap between Haiti and the other countries will be even wider than it is already. It takes an eternity to obtain an authorization for accessing the Internet by satellite. One has the impression that pulling strings works better…,” Reynold Pauyot said, Coordinator of the Haitian Telematics Network for Research and Development (REHRED).

Various people interviewed for the preparation of this briefing expressed the view that today, on the eve of the third millennium, we need a collective effort to understand the economic, social and cultural importance of the Internet to Haiti.
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The Soufrière community in St. Lucia is the very symbol of the land known as the Helen of the West Indies. This historic French town on the West coast boasts spectacular scenic beauty and marine and coastal diversity. It is the home of the world-renowned Pitons, as well as the island’s drive-in volcano that accommodates a large chunk of St. Lucia’s rainforest. These attract tourists on a large scale, both from abroad and from home. However tourism has had certain impacts on the age-old and thriving fishing industry in the community.

Yves Renard, Director of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), mentioned that in Soufrière, with the growth in population, changes in the economy and the growth of tourism, many people started using the same resources for different purposes. They came into quite serious conflict with each other. Renard described some of the conflicts, which have existed in the community for quite some time. “There have been conflicts between fishermen and recreational divers, where the fishermen complained that divers allegedly were cutting their fish pots, and the diving community complained that fishermen would set their fish pots on reefs. Additionally there were conflicts between yachts men and fishermen, because yachts would be anchoring in the middle of fishing areas. Conflicts came up too because of the location of new jetty and board walk in the middle of a given fishing area. The list could go on.”
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Convened by Plan Haiti, Promoteurs Objectif ZeroSIDA (POZ) and the Panos Institute, under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Public Health and Population:

National Forum on AIDS 1999:“Solidarity with people living with HIV/AIDS”Ritz Kinam II, Petionville, Haiti, 21-23 April 1999Summary and analysis of the media activities of the Forum

Prepared by:Jean Claude Louis & Jan Voordouw

Introduction

The National Forum on AIDS 1999 took place from 21 – 23 April 1999 in Petionville, Haiti. This event, with a participation of more than 100 persons, was organized by Plan Haiti, the Panos Institute and the Foundation “Promoteurs de l’Objectif ZéroSIDA (POZ)”, under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and several other institutions working on AIDS prevention.

The Forum aimed to encourage solidarity with people living with AIDS and once again to ring the alarm on the disease. AIDS has remained an epidemic with a hidden face. The gathering allowed for a rediscovery of the disease, and was a place where infected and affected people could reconnect as human beings in their own right. One of the main points of the forum was to give space during its entire programme to men and women with AIDS. They could, without feeling any fear, declare their seropositive status. There were many moments full of emotion.

An exhibition was held in connection to the Forum. This demonstrated materials of many groups working on the prevention of the disease.

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